Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

It’s been far too long since I’ve had fresh green beans. Like, maybe since last summer and that, my friends, is a tragedy. I love a fresh, still slightly crunchy green bean. The flavor is just so “green”, for lack of a better word. The freshness reminds me of summer, which I desperately need right now. So I paired my fresh green beans with some inexpensive (yet delicious) skillet potatoes and made an awesome side dish that can go with just about any dinner.

This minimalist side dish paris easily with any grilled or roasted meat so, as the weather gets warmer and you start to take your cooking outside, remember this one. I kept the seasoning simple with just salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic, and a little oregano to allow the natural flavors of the green beans shine through. The browned skillet potatoes make a great filler and add a wonderfully creamy element to the mix. This is the type of colorful and delicious side that would be perfect to feature along side a steak, grilled chicken, or even a homemade burger. NOM. Now I want to go grill something!

Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

Adding fresh green beans to classic skillet potatoes invites freshness and a taste of spring. This simple side pairs perfectly with any grilled meat.

Total Cost
$3.36 recipe / $ $0.84 serving

Prep Time10minutes

Cook Time35minutes

Total Time45minutes

Servings4to 6 servings (about 5-6 cups total)

Ingredients

1.25lbsred creamer potatoes$1.35

3/4lbsfresh green beans$1.40

2Tbspolive oil$0.32

2clovesgarlic$0.16

3/4tspsalt$0.03

1/2tspdried oregano$0.05

Freshly cracked pepper to taste$0.05

Instructions

Slice the potatoes into quarters lengthwise, then cut across into 1/4 inch slices. Place the sliced potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then let simmer until the potatoes are tender (about 5 minutes). Check the potatoes with a fork often, making sure not to over boil them. They should be easily pierced with a fork, but not so soft that they fall apart. Drain the potatoes in a colander.

While the potatoes are boiling, snap the stems off of the green beans, then break them into 1-2 inch sections. Rinse with cool water to remove any dirt or debris.

Mince the garlic and add it to a large skillet along with the olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for about one minute, then add the drained potatoes. Continue to sauté the potatoes, stirring only once every 3-5 minutes, until about half of them are golden brown (5-10 minutes).

Add the green beans to the skillet and continue to sauté until they are slightly softened and have some browned spots (about another 5 minutes). Season the skillet with salt, oregano, and some freshly cracked pepper. Sauté for one minute more, then serve.

Recipe Notes

-The amount of potatoes and green beans is flexible. Use between 1-1.5 lbs. of potatoes, and between .75 to 1 lb. of green beans.

- Starchy potatoes are prone to sticking, even with liberal amounts of oil, so a non-stick skillet can be very helpful.

Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

Step by Step Photos

Begin by slicing 1.25 to 1.5 pounds of red creamer potatoes into 1/4″ thick quarter round slices. To do this, first cut the potato into quarters lengthwise, then slice across the potato into 1/4″ slices. The thin slices help the potatoes cook faster and provide a nice flat surface that will make contact with the skillet and get browned.

Place the sliced potatoes in a pot, then cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then let the potatoes simmer for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender. The pot will come to a boil faster with a lid in place, but once it starts boiling, you can remove the lid. Test the doneness of the potatoes by piercing them with a fork. The fork should pierce easily, but not make the potatoes crumble. Try not to over cook the potatoes at this stage, because they will cook further in the skillet.

Once the potatoes are just tender, drain them in a colander.

While the potatoes are boiling, you can prepare the green beans. Break the stems off of about .75 lbs. of fresh green beans, then break them into one to two inch sections. Rinse them with cool water.

Mince two cloves of garlic and add them to a large skillet along with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for one minute.

Add the potatoes to the skillet and continue to sauté until about half of them are golden brown. Make sure to not stir the potatoes too often, or else they will not have an opportunity to brown (plus that will increase the likely hood of them crumbling). I only stirred once every 3-5 minutes.

Add the rinsed green beans to the skillet potatoes and continue to sauté. Again, don’t over stir.

When the green beans just begin to soften and have a few browned spots on them, season the skillet with about 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper. Continue to sauté for about a minute more. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

39 comments on “Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans”

I used soy sauce instead of salt like a Hispanic family friend uses in her green beans, it was great alongside your balsamic chicken. I think the leftovers will be good tomorrow night with blackeyed peas and corn bread.

I made this potatoe and green green skillet and served it with some baked fish. I put 2 largish cloves of garlic. As I am an appreciater, not a lover, of garlic, next time I will try 2 small or 1 large clove of garlic. Between the fish and the potatoes, I was very satisfied, almost too full.
This is my third recipe that I have borrowed from this blog. Please keep the recipes coming.

I was looking for something to do with some fresh green beans I over bought last weekend. At 67 cents a pound I did go a little nuts, but I have canned enough to get me through the winter and froze the rest for when this bean season is over.

I tried this exactly as written but I added some Morel mushrooms to give it that little extra yum.. and that it was.

Ok, so i made this a few days ago and, I served it with your blackberry sage pork chops recipe… but I have forgotten to post a review…
Well, let me tell you, this was spectacular, my husband told me, I can make this recipe every day and he wouldn’t get tired of it…. Wow, it made my heart skip a beat lol.
I didn’t have green beans, so I used carrots and asparagus, but everything else stayed the same.

When I’m not sure about the taste of, for instance, an herb, if the smell doesn’t give me enough information, I simply have a little nibble. If we’re in the grocery my husband will wander off and act like he doesn’t know me as I ‘graze’. I also do that when selecting herbs to plant. The minuscule bit of fertilizer or what not isn’t enough to be an issue. It was slightly embarrassing to grab a tissue from my purse to spit in and rushing up to the check out to buy Anything to get the taste out of my mouth from one such venture. Turns out I truly do not like dandelion greens. ick

Hi! I’m Beth

As a food lover and a number cruncher I've decided that cooking on a budget shouldn't mean canned beans and ramen noodles night after night. Join me for delicious recipes designed for small budgets. More »